Shabbat Greetings

This week’s portion, Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36) begins with God instructing Moses: “Command (tzav) your brother Aaron and his sons…” The word tzav conveys not only instruction but also urgent responsibility. In this portion, the Torah focuses on the sacrificial system, teaching that holiness requires structured action, care, and accountability. The priests are reminded that ritual is not just symbolic; it is an ongoing practice that demands diligence, mindfulness, and ethical integrity.

As we approach Shabbat HaGadol (The Great Sabbath), this theme of preparation and responsibility resonates deeply. Shabbat HaGadol traditionally commemorates the readiness and courage of the Jewish people before the first Passover in Egypt. This Shabbat reminds us that moments of redemption, whether personal or communal, require careful preparation, moral clarity, and courage to act in accordance with justice and faith. It is a time to reflect on how we prepare ourselves for moments of ethical and spiritual responsibility.

This connection becomes vivid when reflecting my absence from our community on this Shabbat as I am currently on the Post-Confirmation trip to Georgia and Alabama, visiting the Civil Rights Trail. Walking in the footsteps of those who fought for justice, from the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to the National Civil Rights Museum in Montgomery, offers a real-world illustration of Tzav’s lessons. Just as the priests of the Mishkan were called to act with integrity and diligence, the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement modeled disciplined moral courage. They understood that systemic injustice requires structured, sustained action: ritualized, in a sense, by marches, speeches, and nonviolent protest, and that true accountability is not symbolic but concrete.

Both Tzav and the Civil Rights Trail emphasize that holiness and justice are not abstract ideals; they are enacted in the world through committed action. The sacrifices described in Tzav remind us that sacred work is continuous and that it must be cared for, maintained, and executed with ethical mindfulness. Likewise, the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement shows that pursuing justice requires persistence, persoanl risk and communal commitment.

Shabbat HaGadol invites us to pause and reflect before acting, but it also challenges us to prepare for the work that follows. In the same way, visiting sites of struggle and triumph along the Civil Rights Trail compels us to consider how we, along with young Jewish adults, might carry lessons of courage, empathy, and responsibility into our own communities. Our education and heritage are not ends in themselves; they are preparation for action, for creating ethical spaces in a world that often falls short of justice. I wish each and everyone of you a zissen Pesach next Wednesday evening, April 1st.

SHABBAT SHALOM